Civil services aspirants who have been protesting the deaths of three students in a flooded coaching centre basement have welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to intervene, hoping it will address their concerns effectively.

On Monday, the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the tragic deaths of Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni, and Nevin Dalvin in the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar, and has sought responses from the Centre and Delhi government. This action followed widespread protests by students demanding justice and improved safety measures in coaching centres.

Ravish Anand, a UPSC aspirant, expressed support for the Court’s intervention, stating it should have been initiated earlier. He emphasized that the issue transcends the specific coaching centres or municipal authorities, highlighting a broader concern over fundamental rights and the severe negligence of both the authorities and coaching institutions.

Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, who are overseeing the case, termed the incident a significant wake-up call for all. They criticized the current conditions at coaching centres, labeling them as “death chambers” and indicating that such institutions should either comply fully with safety norms or transition to online operations to ensure student safety.

Pankaj, another student, remarked that while enforcing safety is usually the executive’s job, the Supreme Court had to step in due to the failure of other authorities to act. He expressed hope that the Court will hold the responsible parties accountable and address the grievances of the students promptly.

In response to the tragedy, students organized a candle march and gathered in front of the coaching centre to commemorate their lost friends. They are calling for stringent safety regulations to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure that coaching centres do not compromise students’ lives for profit.

Source: PTI

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